Cyclones Defeat South Dakota, 180-117

VERMILLION, S.D. – The Iowa State swimming and diving team (2-0-1, 0-0 Big 12) topped the Coyotes of South Dakota this afternoon, 180-117. ISU put on a clinic in Vermillion, S.D. setting eight pool records in route to their second victory in as many days.

“It was a very well swam meet,” Iowa State’s head coach Duane Sorenson said. “The women did a great job of standing up and racing each other.”

Before the meet had even reached the first diving break, the Cyclones had already claimed four pool records. During the first event of the night, ISU’s 400-meter medley relay team consisting of Kaylee Kucera, Imelda Wistey, Elizabeth Kleiner, and Amanda Paulson touched in 4:24.85, the fastest time ever recorded at USD. Just four events later, Wistey tallied her second pool record of the evening in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of1:12.21. Kleiner and Paulson each posted another record time of their own in the 200-meter butterfly and the 50-meter freestyle, respectively.

“We came into the meet with a goal to set a number of pool records,” Sorenson said. “We just said let’s go out there and see how many we can set.”

When the swimmers returned to the water, Paulson notched yet another pool record in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 58.13, while sophomore Marissa Engel claimed the pool record in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of2:19.88. Freshman standout and Canada native Karyl Clarete, who was in a meter pool for the first time since moving to Iowa in late summer, finished the 400-meter freestyle in a record time of4:24.95. Iowa State’s 200-meter freestyle relay team of Paulson, Savanna Townsend, Clarete, and Samantha Fossum claimed the eighth pool record of the night in the final event of the dual with a time of1:48.23.

The weekend’s two meet sweep made for a very successful road trip for everyone on the team; however, as a Brookings, S.D. native and South Dakota State transfer, Fossum had more invested in last past two duals than anyone else on the bus. Fossum explained that it was strange returning home to compete against her former teammates, but that she knew that she had the full support of every person on both benches.

Iowa State continues to notice improvement out of the diving team, assophomore Elyse Brouillette finished second on both the 3-meter and the 1-meter boards with scores of 252.15 and 235.20, respectively. Freshman Julie Dickinson continues to improve as she starts to settle into her role after the third meet of the year.

After an undefeated start through three dual meet matchups, the Cyclones are right where they want to be. Sorenson and his staff have their team focused on long term success as the team hopes to finish in the top-three at the Big 12 Championships in March. Fossum feels that she and her teammates are doing everything they need to do in order to achieve that goal.

“I think we are definitely on the right path,” Fossum said. “It’s exciting to see how the rest of the season is going to go because I feel like we are already on top of our game.”